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Opening week is over and teams are beginning to settle into the regular season. There are a lot of divisional match ups and pitchers that lost their first start looking for redemption this week in baseball. The length of the season allows for many shifts in division leaders and this is just the beginning.
Sunday has a few games that are worth a mention. In case you missed it, former Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Jeremy Hellickson was the Opening Day starter for the Philadelphia Phillies. Hellickson pitched 6 innings with only one run, 6 strikeouts, and no walks against the Cincinnati Reds. He ended up getting a no decision due to the Phillies bullpen opening the flood gates and allowing 5 runs to score. Hellickson’s next start is Sunday against the Mets and I don’t think he will disappoint. Sunday Night Baseball is always a good watch. This week it’s the New York Yankees vs the Detroit Tigers and the opening day starters are up; Tanaka and Verlander are both eager for a win.
Monday starts a lot of divisional series, but the most interesting series that begins Monday is not divisional. The World Champion Kansas City Royals are making their way to Houston to play the 2015 Cinderella Astros. I like this match up because I think it is a preview of what the playoffs are going to look like. There have not been enough games to truly tell how either team will be this season, but keep your eye on both because they are in it for October.
Tuesday will be game 2 of the divisional match up of the Miami Marlins vs the New York Mets. With Giancarlo Stanton back from the DL and new manager Don Mattingly, the Marlins are looking to make a splash in 2016. Despite their challenges in 2015, the Marlins finished 3rd in the division and are looking to improve on that record. Additionally, Tampa native Jose Fernandez is starting and will be looking for his first win of the season.
The emergence of Colorado Rockies shortstop rookie Trevor Story has been making headlines all week. Story got the start for the Rockies because of the suspension of Jose Reyes. He has been breaking records, hitting a home run in each of his first four games in his rookie season. The San Francisco Giants are in Denver for a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday series and Coors Field is a hitters park so there is no doubt that Story will be serving them up to Jeff Samardzjia, Jake Peavy, and Matt Cain.
The series to watch this weekend is Gaints vs the Los Angeles Dodgers. Aside from the heated rivalry between these 2 team making the series interesting, it’s being played at Dodgers Stadium which mean the best commentator in baseball will be calling game, Vin Scully. This will be Vin Scully’s 67th season as the Dodgers announcer and he will be retiring at the end of 2016. If you don’t watch this series for any other reason, watch it for the commentating.
